Alpine / West Menlo Little League has served the families of Menlo Park, Woodside, and Portola Valley for more than a half-century. Our mission is to be an outstanding community organization that creates a culture where kids of all abilities love playing

During all play between any two teams of Alpine-West Menlo Little League, the teams shall faithfully observe all Regulations and Playing Rules of Little League Baseball as contained in The Official Rulebook unless superseded by the Alpine-West Menlo Little League local rules which follow. During inter-league games, play shall be governed by National Rules; however, Alpine-West Menlo Little League teams will also follow our local rules, unless National Rules prohibit compliance. In All Star competition, Alpine teams will observe the National Rules concerning All Star play.

Minimum Playing Time - Supercedes IV(i):

Every player in attendance at a game must play a minimum of three defensive (3) full innings if their team plays five (5) innings and four (4) defensive innings if their team plays six (6) innings. All players in attendance will bat each time through the lineup (batting the lineup). The manager or coach shall inform the Player Agent of any player who fails to play a minimum of three (3) or four (4) innings as described above for any reason. Such notification shall be made prior to the next scheduled game for that team.

Rule IV(i) Note 3 regarding the 5-run limit and how it applies to minimum playing time applies in AAA and AA. Any player who does not play a full three (3) or four (4) innings for a game that is shortened for any reason must be in the starting lineup in the next scheduled game and play any previous requirement not completed and the requirement for this game before being removed.

Exceptions: A player may not be required to play three (3) full innings in the following cases: Injury or illness; Disciplinary reasons. Should either occur, the Player Agent (or Division Commissioner in divisions where there is no Player Agent) must be notified immediately.

Penalty: Any manager/coach who violates this rule (even unintentionally) may be suspended from the league for up to seven (7) consecutive days. If this penalty is assessed during the last seven (7) days of the season, it is possible that his penalty will be assessed in a subsequent season.

Player, Coach and Manager Conduct:

Please familiarize yourself with rules 4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 9.01 and 9.03(4) in the Official Little League Rule Book.

Penalties to be determined by the Board of Directors

Reporting of Injuries:

The manager of any player who is injured during a game or practice and required medical attention, or is removed from playing, or misses one or more games must submit an injury report to the Player Agent (or Commissioner if there is no Player Agent) before the next scheduled game.

Any player requiring medical attention for an injury whether or not related to baseball or obtained in connection with Little League, must submit written permission from a physician to the Player Agent before returning to play.

Game Day:

Field Prep: The home team sets up the field to be ready for the warm-ups. ii. The visiting team cleans up and puts away the equipment afterwards including powering down the scoreboard and stowing the scoreboard controller where applicable.

The Home team will occupy the third base dugout

Pregame Timing

45 Minutes Before 1st Pitch

Teams share the use of the batting cage

Teams share the use of the outfield grass

Every attempt should be made to split the allotted time equally between the teams

25 Minutes Before 1st pitch

Home team takes infield practice

Visiting team uses batting cage

Visiting team uses outfield margins (along the lines)

15 Minutes Before 1st Pitch

Visiting team takes infield practice

Home team uses batting cage

Home team uses outfield margins (along the lines)

5 Minutes before 1st pitch: home plate meeting between coaches and umpires

The goal is to make sure the visiting team has a proper warm-up time and is not dependent upon the home team in order to do so. Any time lost due to the infield not being prepared eats into the home team time.

Pitch Counts:

The team identified as the “visitor” will be in charge of designating a volunteer as the official “pitch counter” for the game

The volunteer will run the scoreboard (or a written record) and ensure that the correct pitch count is displayed.

The volunteer has the final word on pitch counts and both teams must abide by the count displayed on the scoreboard/written record.

Adults on the Field:

While warming up in the bullpen, no adult, even a coach, is permitted to serve as the safety or backup for the session.

Please appoint an unused player for this purpose. In addition, no adult may warm up a pitcher for any reason, either in the bullpen or between innings behind the plate

10 run rule: Alpine/West Menlo Little League does not utilize the 10 run “slaughter” rule in league games.

Players During Warm Up:

Any player at home plate during warm ups while a coach is hitting must have a catching helmet on during this time.

This is for the safety of the player and not open to interpretation.

Recording Scores and Pitch Counts

Each team is responsible for entering scores and pitch counts within 24 hours of the end of the game to the League website.

Run/Inning limit:

5 runs per inning with no limit in the 6th or final inning as determined by the umpire.

Time limit:

No inning shall start after 2 hours have elapsed from the first pitch of the game. An inning starts the moment that the third out is made completing the preceding inning.

Illegal Pitch:

Alpine/West Menlo Little League does not enforce Rule 8.05 for an illegal pitch at the AA level

Pitching:

No player may pitch more than two (2) innings or exceed the LL pitch counts in a game.

Stealing bases:

No stealing bases - the ball is dead on the return throw from catcher to pitcher after a pitch

Baserunners:

Baserunners are free to advance during the course of play - after a batted ball has been put in play - until the ball is returned to the pitcher, or another fielder, on the mound. Runners shall return to the base that he/she last legally reached.